Black Jam
Põhjala Brewery & Tap Room

- From:
- Põhjala Brewery & Tap Room
- Estonia
- Style:
- Baltic Porter
Ranked #70 - ABV:
- 11.9%
- Score:
- 90
Ranked #12,372 - Avg:
- 4.15 | pDev: 10.84%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 5
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Apr 26, 2024
- Added:
- Jun 18, 2021
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 1
A daring blend of Imperial Baltic Porters, aged in sherry and bourbon casks.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Fordcoyote15 from Pennsylvania
4.41/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.41/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Very interesting beer. Very jammy and sweet up front but finishes much more bitter with predominant expresso notes.
I'm burnt out on full out reviews but I'd buy this again to drink and review if I come across it.
Jun 07, 2022I'm burnt out on full out reviews but I'd buy this again to drink and review if I come across it.
Reviewed by Jeffo from Netherlands
2.99/5 rDev -28%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
2.99/5 rDev -28%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Got this at the Duvel guy in Utrecht
From a bottle into a snifter
Baltic porter blend aged in sherry and bourbon casks
APPEARANCE: Opaque black pour yields a 1+ finger, medium looking, slightly foamy tan head with great retention. Black body and higher levels of carbonation evident. Head slowly recedes to a solid wisp cap and clings to the glass. A splotchy wisp and ring remains leaving touches of lacing on the glass.
SMELL: Bold nose of sherry, bourbon, raspberry or cherry aromas, milk chocolate, vanilla cream, butterscotch and alcohol on the nose. Bold and plenty of barrel character.
TASTE: Sherry, wood and some alcohol up front, then some lightly oxidized notes at the swallow. This is not as impressive as the nose had indicated. Hints of bourbon and milk chocolate, then a medium finish of wood, sherry, milk chocolate, vanilla notes, butterscotch and some alcohol linger on the palate. A little oxidized with hints of paint thinner.
PALATE: Thinner body and higher levels of carbonation. Semi-creamy on the palate, a little foamy, goes down with a bit of a burn and finishes sticky enough. Some alcohol lingers.
OVERALL: This started off great, but then didn’t quite deliver the goods when it was time to pony up. A touch overcarbonated, prickly, and perhaps a bit of oxidization detracted from the experience here, which is too bad, because the nose was a really good first impression. Okay, but not Pohjala’s best.
Dec 10, 2021From a bottle into a snifter
Baltic porter blend aged in sherry and bourbon casks
APPEARANCE: Opaque black pour yields a 1+ finger, medium looking, slightly foamy tan head with great retention. Black body and higher levels of carbonation evident. Head slowly recedes to a solid wisp cap and clings to the glass. A splotchy wisp and ring remains leaving touches of lacing on the glass.
SMELL: Bold nose of sherry, bourbon, raspberry or cherry aromas, milk chocolate, vanilla cream, butterscotch and alcohol on the nose. Bold and plenty of barrel character.
TASTE: Sherry, wood and some alcohol up front, then some lightly oxidized notes at the swallow. This is not as impressive as the nose had indicated. Hints of bourbon and milk chocolate, then a medium finish of wood, sherry, milk chocolate, vanilla notes, butterscotch and some alcohol linger on the palate. A little oxidized with hints of paint thinner.
PALATE: Thinner body and higher levels of carbonation. Semi-creamy on the palate, a little foamy, goes down with a bit of a burn and finishes sticky enough. Some alcohol lingers.
OVERALL: This started off great, but then didn’t quite deliver the goods when it was time to pony up. A touch overcarbonated, prickly, and perhaps a bit of oxidization detracted from the experience here, which is too bad, because the nose was a really good first impression. Okay, but not Pohjala’s best.
Reviewed by Guaro from Italy
4.43/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.43/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Dark brown tending to black with slightly persistent hazelnut foam. Scent of chocolate and coffee, molasses, cherries and figs, toasts, vanilla, oak and bourbon. On the palate the sherry is immediately the protagonist while the bourbon peeks out only in the finish. There is a whirlwind of flavors, chocolate, molasses, cherries and dried figs, vanilla, light ash and all the typical oak notes. Dark chocolate aftertaste with cherries in alcohol.
Medium body and sufficiently velvety with low carbonation. Very tasty drink but with class and bilance.
Nov 11, 2021Medium body and sufficiently velvety with low carbonation. Very tasty drink but with class and bilance.
Reviewed by puck1225 from Texas
4.43/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.43/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured this from a bottle purchased at a bottle shop in Dallas into a tulip glass. Oily rich dark brown with good initial light brown head and good curtain lacing. Smell and taste of dark sweet berries along with licorice and dark chocolate. A very comforting boozy taste and feel. It is one of those beers you grunt approval after each sip. Wonderful smooth rich feel. Beers from this brewery make want to visit Estonia!
Nov 04, 2021Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England
3.71/5 rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.71/5 rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Blind-tasted except for the beer's name and brewery/country, zero reviews below read (yet!)...
L- Jet black, even held right by a halogen bulb no light gets through. Pours with minimal head, it was mid tan and 1mm but before the pour was finished it had dissipated to a very thin ring at the edge.
S- Smells of liquor, brandy/cognac I think.
T- Rich, straight from the fridge but this risks becoming outright as it warms. Big round liquor notes then into major cocoa.
F- Big, round, rich, cakey. One for slow-sippin'.
O- It's like a chocolate/lactose brandy barrel-aged Imperial Stout, there that's my guess. Pleasant enough but be prepared what must be a pretty seriously high calorie thumper of a beer. Would be a great beer to be sipping on 'around the fireplace' at Xmas.
Review1925/scoring all done, now the reveal, I get to read the lables to see what I missed! ==> Not cognac/brandy but sherry/bourbon cask aged.
330ml bottle BB: 12/01/2024 (stamped @ neck) £7.80 Bought from TremblingMadness, York/UK as part of a large pick-your own consignment to London.
Jul 02, 2021L- Jet black, even held right by a halogen bulb no light gets through. Pours with minimal head, it was mid tan and 1mm but before the pour was finished it had dissipated to a very thin ring at the edge.
S- Smells of liquor, brandy/cognac I think.
T- Rich, straight from the fridge but this risks becoming outright as it warms. Big round liquor notes then into major cocoa.
F- Big, round, rich, cakey. One for slow-sippin'.
O- It's like a chocolate/lactose brandy barrel-aged Imperial Stout, there that's my guess. Pleasant enough but be prepared what must be a pretty seriously high calorie thumper of a beer. Would be a great beer to be sipping on 'around the fireplace' at Xmas.
Review1925/scoring all done, now the reveal, I get to read the lables to see what I missed! ==> Not cognac/brandy but sherry/bourbon cask aged.
330ml bottle BB: 12/01/2024 (stamped @ neck) £7.80 Bought from TremblingMadness, York/UK as part of a large pick-your own consignment to London.
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